• Question: Why do we blush when we are embarrassed?

    Asked by Alex to Connor, Jillian, Lidunka, Sarah, Steven on 18 Jun 2015.
    • Photo: Lidunka Vocadlo

      Lidunka Vocadlo answered on 18 Jun 2015:

      @Alex The nervous system stimulates the blood vessels, opening them up and causing a rush of blood to the skin, often the face, but also other areas of the body. This is not helped by the blood vessels in the cheeks being particularly wide, letting in more blood than other areas.

    • Photo: Jillian Scudder

      Jillian Scudder answered on 19 Jun 2015:

      The flush itself comes from blood vessels being a bit more open, and therefore redder than normal – it also brings heat to the surface of your skin, which is why it can feel like your face is hot if you’re blushing particularly hard. Those of us who are super pale wind up with a more dramatic flush than those with darker skin tones, as our skin is a bit more translucent than others.

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